We’ve long been told that sleep is important. But somewhere between the busy decades of careers, kids and keeping everything together, many of us gradually accepted that a full, restorative night was something that happened to other people. The truth is, sleep doesn’t have to be elusive. It just requires a little more attention than it used to.
For women especially, the picture gets more complicated after 50. Shifting hormones during perimenopause and menopause directly interfere with sleep architecture, reducing deep sleep, triggering night sweats, and making it harder to stay asleep even when exhaustion is real. Understanding that this is physiological, not personal failure, is actually the first step.
So what’s working for women who are sleeping well? A few things worth exploring.
Magnesium
Magnesium has become something of a sleep-world darling, and for good reason. It plays a key role in regulating the nervous system and supporting the production of melatonin, the hormone that signals to your body that it’s time to wind down. A surprising number of adults are deficient without knowing it, and supplementing with magnesium glycinate or magnesium threonate in the evening has helped many women report deeper, more settled sleep. It’s gentle, well-tolerated and worth a conversation with your GP.
Meditation
Consistent meditation practice, even just ten minutes before bed, has measurable effects on cortisol, the stress hormone that tends to spike at the worst possible hour (hello, 2am). Apps like Insight Timer offer guided sleep meditations that require zero experience and no particular belief system. Think of it less as spiritual practice and more as a deliberate off-switch for a busy mind.
Mouth taping
This is the topic that raises eyebrows, but the conversation around nasal breathing during sleep has gained serious traction in wellness circles. The theory is that breathing through your nose overnight, rather than your mouth, supports better oxygen exchange, reduces snoring, and leads to more restorative sleep. Mouth taping, using a small piece of gentle skin tape across the lips, encourages exactly this. It sounds confronting, but many who’ve tried it report being surprised by how quickly it became normal, and how much better they felt in the morning. Not suitable for everyone, so check with a health professional first.
The fundamentals still matter
None of the above replaces the basics, and the basics work. A consistent sleep and wake time (yes, even on weekends) anchors your circadian rhythm. A cool, dark room signals the body that sleep is imminent. Limiting screens in the hour before bed, or using blue light glasses if that’s unrealistic, reduces the melatonin suppression caused by device use. And alcohol, despite feeling like a wind-down tool, fragments sleep in the second half of the night in ways most of us don’t realise.
The most interesting thing about sleep right now is how much conversation it’s generating, among researchers, clinicians and everyday women who’ve simply decided they deserve to rest well. It turns out a good night’s sleep isn’t a luxury. It’s infrastructure.
If sleep difficulties are persistent or significantly affecting your quality of life, speak with your GP. There are effective evidence-based treatments available.
